


double-fudge brownies

by voguewylies



Category: High School Musical: The Musical: The Series (TV)
Genre: Baking, Established relationship?, F/M, Fluff, little angst, ricky can't cook
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-02
Updated: 2021-03-02
Packaged: 2021-03-14 12:00:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,406
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29791590
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/voguewylies/pseuds/voguewylies
Summary: or, where ricky bowen learns what measuring cups are.
Relationships: Ricky Bowen & Gina Porter, Ricky Bowen/Gina Porter
Comments: 3
Kudos: 24





	double-fudge brownies

**Author's Note:**

> @wizrdwheezes on twitter!
> 
> the recipe i used in this fic!: https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/ultimate-double-chocolate-brownies/

_richie: hey are you home?_

_gina ballerina: yeah_

_gina ballerina: what’s up?_

_richie: nothing_

_richie: ill tell you when i get there_

Around 10 minutes later Gina Porter opens her door to find a teary-eyed Ricky Bowen standing on her front porch. He looks shaken, fidgeting with his hands as Gina processes the sight in front of her.

She pulls him into the house, closes the door, then pulls him into a hug, getting teary-eyed herself as Ricky sobs in her arms. She runs her hands up and down his back as she leads Ricky over to her couch. 

“Hey, hey you’re okay, it’s okay.” She comforts him, pulling away to look at his face. His skin looks blotchy and he’s gasping for air. “Oh, Richie.” She says, wiping his tears away. “Okay, c’mon breathe with me. In and out, yeah like that, in and out.”

As Ricky tries to calm down and catch his breath, he leans against Gina. “You don’t have to tell me what’s wrong, okay? We can just sit here.” She says, pulling him into her chest.

After a while, Ricky speaks up, “She’s engaged.” He cuddles in closer to Gina, “My mom, she’s engaged.” He sighs deeply, “I was having dinner with my mom and she told me. I didn’t know what to do, Gi. We were in the middle of dessert and she just...said it.”

“How do you feel?” 

“Shocked, like my life's falling apart. I don’t know. I’m happy for her, really, I am. But then I started thinking and like, I’m gonna have a step-dad! A step-dad, Gi! It’s just moving too fast.” He confesses, lacing his hands with hers. “At least this time I didn’t walk out in the middle of the conversation, right?”

“Did you say anything?”

“What I just told you. I think she half-expected me to run out of the restaurant. For once I took Dr. Martinez’s advice and told my mom exactly what I was feeling. It worked, I think.”

"What did she say?" Gina asks.

"That she didn't want to take this big step unless I was all on board. And I told her, you know, that she should do it. Get married to Todd, I mean." He says, getting comfortable and kicking his sneakers off, "I dunno, I guess I just need time to process it. It's a big change, huh, Gi?"

"Yeah." Gina stays silent for a while, running her hands through his curls, letting him relax for a while. Meanwhile, she racks her brain for which path to take. She ends up choosing distraction. “Hey,” she says patting his shoulder, “You know what always makes me feel better?”

“What?”

“Brownies.”

“Brownies?” He questions, looking up at her.

“Yes! Chef Sam has the _perfect_ recipe for this occasion! C’mon, kitchen time!” She’s gotten up from her spot on the couch and extends her hand to Ricky. He takes her hand and allows her to lead him to her kitchen where Gina grabs a tissue and wipes Ricky’s face clean of tears.

“You’re going to feel better in no time, I promise. And, hey, I’m proud of you for staying and talking to your mom.” She turns to throw away the tissue and exclaims, “Oh! I’ll be right back!”

Gina returns to the kitchen with her laptop, pulling up Chef Sam’s recipe for double-fudge brownies. “Okay, let’s get baking!”

“Uh, Gi, I’ve never really baked before. I’ve never even _cooked_ anything, like, ever.” He says, watching as Gina scurries around the kitchen, grabbing some basic ingredients for brownies.

“Nothing, ever?”

Ricky thinks for a second, “Do mashed potatoes count?”

“That depends. Real potatoes or from a box?” She questions.

“Okay, yeah, I’ve never cooked before.”

She giggles at him and says, “It’s okay, Ricky. Cooking is actually pretty easy. Cooking with a recipe is even easier. And baking is the easiest.”

Ricky gives in, “Alright, but if they come out inedible, then it’s on you, Gi.”

“Yeah, yeah, whatever. Can you crack two eggs into the bowl?” Gina asks, going back to her laptop to read the recipe. “Okay, butter and chocolate chips.” She says, on her way to the fridge. “How many chocolate chips do you think we should add?”

“My mom always said you measure chocolate chips with your heart, so all of them!” Ricky responds, mixing the brownie batter.

“Richie, add one and one-third cups of flour next!” Gina says, after adding the butter in the batter and placing the chocolate chips on the counter.

“How do you get one-third cup of flour?” Ricky asks.

“There are labels on the measuring cups, just look for the one that says one-third on it!” Gina says from the pantry, where she looks for a baking pan.

“Uh, the measuring cups?”

“Yeah, I put them next to the stove.” Gina takes a moment and smiles to herself, “You’re using an actual cup, aren’t you?”

“What! N-no! I’m using the measuring cups! What kind of idiot would use an actual cup?” He defends.

“Oh, you definitely are!” She says on her way back from the pantry. “Aw, that’s so Ricky of you to do.”

“You did not just use my name as an adjective.”

“I did.” She replies, taking the cup from him and handing him the measuring cups.

“That’s so mean! Just for that, you’re getting the edge piece.” He says, adding the bag of chocolate chips to the batter and mixing it.

“Oh, would you just pour the batter in the pan! Besides, the edge is the best part, so you’re really doing me a favor.”

“I’m just gonna pretend like you didn’t say that.” He says as he watches Gina place the brownies in the oven. “Okay, so how long do I have to wait until we can eat?”

“45 minutes.”

“You’re kidding. 45 minutes? That’s like as long as one act!”

“Okay, Mr. _I’m Not A Theater Kid_ , " She jokes, "It’ll go by fast, I promise.”

\----------

They watch Ratatouille while the brownies bake, Gina cuddled into Ricky’s side. Right when Linguini and Remy are cooking together for the first time, Ricky speaks up, “Hey, Gi?”

She looks up at him and says, “Yeah?”

“I’m sorry.”

“For what?”

“I just came into your house on a Friday night and poured out all my problems on you. I shouldn’t be coming and bothering you with my mommy issues.” He responds, staring at the TV screen to avoid eye contact with her.

“Ricky.” She grabs the remote and pauses the movie, “Ricky, look at me. Richard Bowen.”

He turns his head to face her, “Listen to me, okay? You could never be a bother to me.”

“That’s not true.” He replies, shaking his head.

“I’m serious. You will never, _ever_ be a bother to me. I’m always gonna be here for you, even when you don’t want me there.” 

He stares at her, waiting for her to burst out laughing and say, “ _Did you see your face_!” When she doesn’t, he says, “Don't worry, I’m always gonna want you there, pretty girl.”

Blushing, Gina says, “Well good, because I’m not leaving.”

Ricky, leaning in to kiss her, replies, “Yeah, you better not, because I’m not letting you go.”

As their lips are about to touch, Gina’s alarm goes off.

“Nooo!” Ricky whines.

“C’mon, Richie, I have to get the brownies, or else your center-piece will be burnt.” She says, patting his head and heading to the kitchen.

“It can’t even wait 5 minutes?”

“Unless you want burnt brownies, you better get up off that couch, like right now.”

“Okay, okay. Do you have ice cream?” He relents, getting up off the couch.

“What, think your brownie won’t be good on its own?” Gina says, taking the brownies out of the oven and cutting them up.

“Obviously not, Gi, _I_ made them. They’ll be inedible.” Ricky replies, getting bowls for their ice cream.

“Looks edible to me.” She says, handing Ricky half a brownie to try.

“Okay," He takes a breath then says, "God, please don’t give me food poisoning.”, before biting into it.

As Ricky chews the brownie, he gives Gina a thumbs-up, indicating that they’re edible. “Tastes good.” He says, through a mouthful of brownie. 

“Told you. Now, c’mon let's watch a French rat be a better chef than you.” She says, handing Ricky his bowl of brownie topped with ice cream.

“Hey! Y'know I take offense to that!” 


End file.
